Gutted

[T7]

Just been sorting through my trout/grayling tackle only to discover that I have lost a fly box full of trout/grayling dry flies.

Quite annoyed as it was full of loads of different dry flies from Klinks to reservoir hoppers etc. No idea where/when I lost it, but must have been the last time I went trout fishing in about September. Its gonna take ages to retie all them. A*se

[ianw]

Hi T7,

Looks like a good excuse for rationalization/innovation to me

I have been looking at getting some new boxes which are going to be lighter than my Wheatley's.

I quite fancy the slotted foam type and have looked at various ones apart from the CF models.

This is the cheapest I have found and I will send for one to see if it fits the bill.

www.anglingclassics.co.uk/Greenheart_Fly_Boxes.html

Towards the bottom of the page £4.00 plus £1.00 p&p

Best regards,

Ian

[T7]

They look pretty good don't they? Fortunately the box I lost wasn't an expensive one, but the flies inside were! (To me anyway) Hundreds in there and all tied by me so a lot of hours wasted. Ho hum.

[SMW]

lost a fly box full of trout/grayling dry flies.

Not nice to discover you've genuinly lost a box of flies, Ive been there, as will many others, but worse still is to know you have lost them to a thief. Happened to me quite a few years back, I had just fished a localish water, when I got home I went to take my flies out of my bag to air and dry off, when I discovered I was a box short, I jumped back in the car and drove the 15 or so mile back to the water, as I was making my way around to the last place I had fished and where I knew I had the flies, an angler was making a rapid sort of departure from the very spot, as I closed in on the mark I had to cross a very boggy area that slowed me up, on reaching the place and having a look round it was clear that the box had disappeared.
A month or two later I was talking to a mate who happened to ask if I had tied a certain person (who I wont name) some flies, as he had been showing a box full of new flies around, the flies were actually a load of Bracken Clock patterns that I had developed, and my mate had recognized them as mine, I got in touch with this bloke who flatly denied taking the mislaid box, as I couldn't prove otherwise I had to live with it, but its a bitter pill to swallow.

SMW

[watermole]

That's a really sad tale T7-you have my commiserations; there are some rotten so-and-so's in this world, unfortunately....

I had a really lucky break once. I had been night-fishing until late and was feeling quite tired by the time I had got back to the car. For some stupid reason, when I was packing everything up, I left my fly-wallet, containing my sole collection of sea-trout flies, on the car roof, must have forgotten to put it inside-and drove home-only discovering the loss when I arrived there!
A panic drive back to where I had parked, followed by a long search revealed nothing. I assumed that it must have fallen off somewhere on the way back and again, searched fruitlessly for it, until the torch batteries failed..

....two days later, I had a 'phone call from somebody, who had been out walking on the moors, had found the wallet, miles from where I had parked, and which fortunately, had my name and address inscribed inside. They had checked my name in the 'phone book and gave me a call.
I cannot tell you, how grateful I was; firstly, to get it back, but more than that, because of the humbling honesty of a very kind person who had taken the bother to call me..and, by the way, who refused to accept any reward at all...

I know that is no consolation to you, but it is indeed gratifying to know, that there is still honesty and kindness in this day and age..

If you PM me your N & A, I might have a few trout flies which I don't use any more-every little helps!!

Best wishes,

Wm.

[silverinvicta]

I once lost my wallet, containing £22.0 plus numerous licences for all over the UK.. before EA days and one permit... I had been on the Llandegla moor fishing a very out of the way pool... i was really peeved.. a week later my wallet, cash, and licences... cash and licences neatly ironed.. with a note....explaining that this gent had been walking and found the wallet soaking wet, his wife had dried and ironed the contents... the signature was a Letter G ... and no return address..
as David says there ARE honest folk out there.....

Si

[T7]

That's very kind of you Watermole. Perhaps we can arrange a swap for some sea trout flies?

On a lighter note, my dad told me a story of when he lost a favourite fly box at Chew Valley Lake. He was wading deep-ish and noticed he had lost it. Assuming he had dropped it in the water he started feeling around in the water to try and find it on the lake bed. A chap came along and after being told the story, started helping him look on the bottom of the lake. Anyway after about 10 minutes of splashing around, both soaking wet, my dad realised he had simply put the box in the pocket of his waders! He didn't have the heart to tell the fellow so pretended to pull it out from the bottom of the lake. Apparantly the guy was delighted for him as the thought it was going to be impossible to find!!!! Yes there are still some decent folk out there.

[silverinvicta]

ianw said:

Hi T7,

Looks like a good excuse for rationalization/innovation to me

I have been looking at getting some new boxes which are going to be lighter than my Wheatley's.

I quite fancy the slotted foam type and have looked at various ones apart from the CF models.

This is the cheapest I have found and I will send for one to see if it fits the bill.

www.anglingclassics.co.uk/Greenheart_Fly_Boxes.html

Towards the bottom of the page £4.00 plus £1.00 p&p

Best regards,

Ian

I bought a few of those boxes from another source... they ain't bad for the money....

Si

[sewinbasher]

This happened to me once when I was in my teens and my pocket money bought just a couple of flies every week. I couldn't afford to lose any so I pretty quickly learnt to climb trees and cast properly. I also started to tie my own being a lot easier to replace and cheaper on the pocket.

I lost my whole collection once, the box just fell out of my pocket never to be seen again and I and almost cried.

Lessons learnt:

1) Spread them around over a couple of boxes.

2) Buy bright coloured boxes that you are more likely to notice if you've dropped them and make them easier to find afterwards.

I used the cheap plastic Sue Burgess boxes in orange for years afterwards.

[T7]

I had to post on here after I received a package today:

As you will know from the rest of this thread, I lost a box of dry flies sometime this season, which I was slightly irritated by. After posting on here Watermole kindly offered to post me a few flies to replace those I had lost - a really kind offer.

The flies turned up today - I was expecting half a dozen or so flies to get me (re)started, but in fact Watermole sent me a whole box full of fantastic trout flies and a few seatrout and salmon ones too!

I will be sending some sea trout tubes to Watermole to say thankyou for this kind gift, but I wanted to say thanks here as well.

Thankyou David, you are a true gent.

[Teifi Terrorist]

Sorry to hear about the box T7 not good news. However, I will second your comments regarding Watermole; one of the finest gents you are ever likely to meet, be that on a riverbank or otherwise. Top man, and a rare breed nowadays, unfortunately.

TT.

[silverinvicta]

David 'Watermole' ........you are a star...... ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Bap

[DAZ]

I'll second what Steff and Bap said.

One of the best!.

DAZ.

[norsy]

you are one from the old school david ,,,a true gent .

[tigermoth]

You guys are making me puke with your virtual group hugs

It is an arse though losing fly boxes - happens to me more often than I care to remember. Lesson learned now though, I use the C&F Lanyards to keep em pinned to me.

Last year I lost a box full of juicy nymphs on the little river Dore. Four months later I was at the Monnow Fisheries Auction and noticed a little box of nymphs on the table. Some bast&rd thought it would be funny to make me bid for them. £60 later

This last season, a pair of Bolles fell off my head whilst fishing the Monnow and got washed downstream. Three months later, my mate is fishing away down stream of me (half a mile or so downstream of where I lost my glasses) - he hooks a big brownie which bolts underneath a rock in hole. No way this fish is coming out, so he tightens up and roots it out with his hands, along with... my feckin' glasses. Unbelievable!

So the moral is... if you're going to lose kit. Give it to me to lose for you ;D

[SMW]

Bob on David,
Is it worth me losing some more. ;D ;D ;D

SMW